Spain has become the first country in Europe to ban smoking on all of its beaches after the government passed a new law following a public petition, reports Lonely Planet.

From now on, anyone caught smoking on a beach will face a hefty EUR 2000 fine. A ban is already in place in Barcelona and the Canary Islands, where smoking is prohibited on popular tourist beaches.
The move comes in a bid to curb pollution along the country’s 3000 miles of coastline. According to the report, the new law was passed on 23 December after the Spanish government received a petition with 283,000 names calling for action against beach pollution. Cigarette butts are a hazard on many beaches because they contain non-biodegradable plastic polymer. The European Environment Agency found cigarette butts among the most common items littering Europe's beaches. Sardinia in Italy and some areas in southern France have already banned smoking on their beaches.